Whole Foods Reveals 2018 Food Predictions, These Are Our Top Picks

By Emily Abrams   ‧   Updated   08/02/2018   ‧   Eat /

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It’s fun to get the perspective of an innovative company like Whole Foods. And with the new year around the corner, it’s time to see what food trends 2018 will hold. Whole Foods’ global buyers and experts released their picks for the most anticipated food trends for next year. The trends are based on more than 100 years of studying consumer preferences and experience in product sourcing. Here’s what we’re the most pumped about. Get excited.

New Taco Shells

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Tacos have come a long way and they’re no longer limited to tortilla shells. You’ll see tacos served with every ingredient under the sun, whether savory or sweet, or served for breakfast lunch or dinner. Whole Foods experts predict that new kinds of tacos wrappers, like seaweed, will become more common. You might also see more sweet tacos in 2018. Don’t worry, the tacos you know and love aren’t going anywhere, but there could be more focus on each component of your taco moving forward, upping the general taco game. Think more grain-free options and heirloom ingredients.

Plant-Based Bubbly

There should probably be a new word to replace soda. The carbonated drinks that you find at any Whole Foods store are nothing like soda of the past. Brands like LaCroix are pioneering an entire market of sparkling beverages that are made with plant-derived ingredients. There are all sorts of fizzy combinations that are carving out a niche, like sparkling cold brew from Stumptown. Carbonation is no longer tied with cans of sugary chemicals and we’re happy about it.

Deeper Dive Into Middle Eastern Foods

Even though shoppers have been buying hummus and pita for years, Whole Foods experts predict that consumers will delve deeper into ingredients of Middle Eastern cultures ranging from Persian, Israeli, Moroccan, Syrian and Lebanese influences. We’ll see spices like harissa, za’atar and cardamom becoming more mainstream along with dishes like shakshuka, lamb and grilled halloumi.

Also on Whole Foods’ list of predictions:

  • Cooking with floral flavors
  • More superfood powders
  • Functional mushrooms in your drinks and beauty products
  • More transparent food labels
  • Plant-based foods will become more high-tech
  • Puffed foods
  • Root-to-stem cooking

If you’re curious what the new year has in store, here’s the full rundown of Whole Foods’ 2018 food predictions.

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